With the beginning of a new century, we have been hit with the realization that high school graduates, and even in some cases college graduates, cannot be employed right after graduation. The job market has become more competitive over the years and employers have now risen their basic requirements for applicants. This problem has caused the creation of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (2006), which opened a new set of regulations that allowed the teaching of technical careers within colleges and high schools. What does Career and Technical Education (CTE) mean? CTE programs are opportunities that can help students learn technical skills in many respective fields, mostly emphasized in economically-booming fields such as …show more content…
The quality of such programs vary from institution to institution depending on funding and its prioritization within the district. The goal for Career and Technical programs is to reduce overall dropout rates while increasing graduation rates and providing work-related experience and lifelong learning to students (Castellano, et al., 243). In general, these programs include students taking a course of their liking, courses offered are based on the industries driving the economy, and some sort of “real world” experience (National Skills Coalition, 2). Some examples of the popular courses offered throughout the decade are health occupations, computer related courses, early education and care, graphic communication, automotive technology and civil …show more content…
A great example of the wonderful effects CTE programs have on students is Pekin Community High School, which is located in Central Illinois. In an article found in Tech Directions, Pekin High claimed that their attendance rate is a high 96.9%, higher than the state average. They have also stated that their dropout rates have decreased, therefore causing an increase in graduation rates (Brewer,16). Pekin High is a community high school with various Career and Technical Education courses and is full of opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience through paid internships and job shadowing. But, researchers ask how can Career and Technical Education motivate IDA (I dislike academics) students to continue in school? Statistics indicate that taking CTE courses is a source of motivation for students to attend school and these particular students also tend to take more than one CTE course (Bishop & Mane, 383). It has been scientifically proven that all students have different learning styles. For the most part, there are three types of learners: kinesthetic, visual and auditory. Kinesthetic learners are people who tend to learn better when using their hands. Visual learners rely the most on their eyes to understand any content. Lastly, auditory learners learn the best when they listen to something. Since the goal of these programs is to provide experience as you are learning, it provides a
Subsequently what is done is that selected high schools develop a curriculum that is organized around a specific career cluster, which are like a specialized charter school. The goal is to feature a series advanced “pathway” courses that can help students to enrich their knowledge through work-based learning and academics. In turn, this specialized education will allow student to demonstrate their understanding through assessments and industry credentialing opportunities. As well these schools are enrolled in a learning exchange that have partnerships that are organized to support the programs of study by coordinating statewide networks of education partners, businesses, industry associations, labor, and other organizations (2013, p. 21-23). Consequently, the program is driven to help high school students develop a career path and to receive exploratory education that will given them an advantage in either college endeavors or in the job market.
The university-statehouse-industrial complex has grown such that the traditional models of primary and secondary education have survived two or three decades beyond their practical use. With a public school system that segregates and discriminates based on, “college material or not?” (Brolin & Loyd, 1989) and a university system that places only one in five graduates in work in their field of major (cite), our educational system has passed its prime and is still training and educating for 20th century job markets that no longer exist. The way that we educate and what we educate for and why needs rethinking from the top down and needs to be more practical and pragmatic. Career and technical education (CTE) consisting of specialized, targeted, and focused vocational programs at all levels do more than just prepare a student for a real job – these programs have practical education and socialization value that conventional classrooms centered around a teacher’s monologue for many do not. Nowhere is the added value of such targeted programs more useful and valuable than in special classes, courses, and CTE training aimed at students with disabilities.
High Schools That Work (HSTW), a school improvement initiative of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), has documented achievement gains by career and technical education (CTE) students at participating sites (Bottoms and Presson 2000). At HSTW sites participating in 1996 and 1998 assessments (Frome 2001), CTE students showed math and science achievement equal to the national average of all high school students—and exceeded the national average of CTE students in math, science, and reading.
In the United States, the history of Career and Technical Education evolved within four major periods. First, the Awakening period which began in 1776-1826, when the right to a free public education was expressed. During this era, educational opportunities in labor and industrial education were being demanded. The rising working class began to press for an education that were more appropriate for their labor and industry’s needs (Awakening 1776-1826, 1976). Even Benjamin Franklin who represented the Awakening middle class was on board with the rise of technical and vocational education which were taught primarily by private masters or contracted apprenticeships (Cohen, 1976).
Attendance at a technical college or local 2-year school was deplorably referenced to as “loser’s territory” and if you dared to enroll in one anyway and followed through to graduation, well you were congratulated but to a lackluster fanfare. Some community college graduates still receive this reception upon exit of a community college but attitudes are definitely changing. Today more than ever, degree-seeking individuals are paving the path to their careers through the entrance and exit doors of community colleges. These well-informed leaders of the new school have realized a smarter way to education; that a bachelor’s degree or taking a traditional route to obtain one is not necessarily the best or right way to be a successful and employable member of society.
Among the sterile field of the cardiac catheter laboratory, a student is observing over a cardiologist’s head while a surgical technician narrates their role in the standard ablation. This is just one of the many pivotal experiences that a student in Liberty High School’s Allied Health CTE program can expect. The student is on a path made available by the Western Maricopa Education Center and, if followed properly, that student can expect to graduate high school as a skilled worker in the medical field. Allied Health is just a small portion of a much bigger picture that provides ever growing opportunities to high school students prior to graduation.
Each program is different, and so the curiculum is very linient. This causes for difficuty in planing, teaching, and the testing of learned skills. There is no national standard for the STEM education program, and their is also no required teacher certification in these programs (Chen. 2017). It also very difficult to fit career based classes into the normal school day schedule. Participating in internships and longer classes creates a schedule with holes, and has become one of the bigger obstacles (Kauchak and Eggen. Pg.199). Another set back that can be found in both schools is quality and quantity. For these schools to work the way they were created to, the teachers must be skilled in their profession enough to thoroughly teach it. The problem then becomes finding someone who is not only skilled, but also willing to leave their profession to teach. Another issue with STEM and Magnet schools is that it can be very narrow-minded. Both schools build off of passions, but if a student attends with no passion in mind, they may end up dicouraged and left behind. Both schools are very benefitial, but also have their
When plumbing goes bad, hair needs cutting, or the car goes on the fritz, who is going to get the call? Most people will answer “the plumber, the stylist, or the auto repair place down the road at Wal-Mart.” That answer is mostly correct. Although, the focus needs to be on how those people got where they are today. These people, who do so much work for us every single day, need to get some consideration. In most cases they would have gone to a vocational high school or technical college. These are special schools in which students learn the exact skills they need to complete their desired career in an accelerated period of time. More people should be encouraged to go to these schools, because we will need more Blue Collar workers in our future.
Although in-school retention is a goal of vocational education programs targeted to at-risk youth, it is not the most significant outcome. Data from the evaluation of a 3-year demonstration program funded by the Carl Perkins Vocational Education Act reflects a broader perspective on program success. In summarizing the outcomes of the 12 evaluated projects, Hayward and Tallmadge (1995) report that only 4 of the 12 showed a significant reduction in numbers of dropouts. The most successful outcome was the improved school performance of program participants. Ten of the 12 projects showed an increase in students grade point averages; 7 of the 12 showed a reduction in number of courses failed.
With the fast advances in innovation, a significant number of today 's employments now require more than a high school education or trade skills. Achievement in the workforce is progressively characterized by the capacity to think fundamentally, control a PC, and to work cooperatively in a teaming domain. Today 's school training builds up these capacities, furnishing people with priceless business and individual aptitudes and information,
Grover, G. (2002). Career information center eighth engineering, science, and technology. (8th ed.). Michigan: visual education corporation.
...e expense of vocational courses. Their study concluded that tougher course requirements in the four cores did not reduce the number of vocational courses students took. Furthermore, it increased the number of students taking computer and health related vocational courses. Increased graduation requirements were found to have a positive correlation with students pursuing vocational training after graduation. Students in state with higher graduation requirements produced graduates 5% more likely to obtain associates degrees or a bachelor’s degree. Also, higher academic graduation requirements positively affected wage rates. For each additional academic course required for graduation a $423 increase in the yearly earnings was reported. Bishop and Mane caution that these gains are driven by students in specific occupations involving computers and health care.
A real education is something that everyone should value, and all of us should strive to live up to our true potential. Contrary to popular belief, heading off to a four-year college to reach that true potential may not necessarily be the right choice for everyone. Vocational training is not only less expensive than college, but it is also a better use of time and provides students with skills critical for their job of interest. In six months, the class of 2014 will put on their caps and gowns and walk across the stage with their diplomas. All of those graduates will be excited to move onto the next chapter of life. But what path will they choose? Will they go with the flow, or will they take a walk down the unbeaten path?
THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VOCATIONAL ASPECTS TO SCHOOLING IN AUSTRALIA. HOWEVER, IN RECENT TIMES THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASED EMPHASIS ON THIS ASPECT OF SCHOOLING WITHIN BOTH THE GENERAL CURRICULUM AND THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE A PARTICULAR VOCATIONAL FLAVOUR.
Tchibozo, G. (2013). The contribution of curricula and extra-curricular activities on successful employment derived from an engineering graduates survey. journalofengineeringeducationresearch, 16(3), pp.69-78.